Forging machine



E. RIBBACK FORGING MACHINE Aug. 6, 1968 Filed April 20, 1966 INVENTOR 3Q/677 ,Q/BC/f BY wmf fr mar ATTORNEY United States The present invention relates to forging or hammering machines in general, and more particularly to improvements in an apparatus for adjusting the position of tools in such machines. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in forging machines of the type wherein a workpiece is treated by repeated contact with one or more rapidly oscillating tools which are rockable about fixed axes.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a forging machine with a very simple, compact and highly accurate adjusting apparatus which can rapidly change the initial position of forging tools by moving such tools nearer to or further away from each other and/or from a workpiece.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjusting apparatus of the just outlined characteristics wherein a single device suffices to effect accurate adjustments of two forging tools.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an adjusting apparatus whose component parts are not subjected to excessive stresses.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a forging machine wherein a pair of forging tools may be adjusted in such a way that any adjustment of one tool necessarily involves identical adjustment of the other tool, or vice versa.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjusting apparatus which can be readily incorporated in many presently known forging machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjusting apparatus which occupies very little room, which comprises a small number of component parts, which is of the self-locking type so that a selected adjustment of tools remains intact unless the operator decides to change the position of tools, and wherein adjustments in the position of forging tools necessitate the exertion of a relatively small effort.

Briefly stated, one feature of my present invention resides in the provision of a forging machine which comprises an eccentric oscillatable about a fixed axis (for example, about the axis of a horizontal supporting shaft which is fixed to the frame of a forging machine), a strap oscillatably mounted on the eccentric Aand preferably assuming the form of a two-armed lever one arm of which carries a suitable forging tool, and adjusting means for changing the angular position of the eccentric with reference to the fixed axis, i.e., for changing the angular position of the eccentric independently of oscillations of the eccentric in response to oscillatory movements of the strap. The adjusting means comprises a first threaded or toothed member which is rigid with the eccentric, a second threaded or toothed member which is in mesh with the first member and is rotatably supported -by the strap for oscillation therewith (i.e., the second member is rotatable about its own axis to thereby change the angular position of the eccentric through the Kintermediary of the first member but is held against axial movement with reference to the strap), and a spindle or an analogous rotary motion transmitting device for rotating the second member with reference to the strap to thereby effect changes in angular position of the eccentric. The second toothed or threaded member is arranged to transmit oscillations of the strap to the eccentric through the intermediary of the first member and to change the angular position of the eccentric in response to rotation of the spindle.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, the strap is provided with a pair of journals disposed at the opposite axial ends of the second threaded or toothed member and rotatably supporting the spindle. The second member is movable axially of but cannot rotate on the spindle.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved forging machine itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a somewhat schematic front elevational view of a forging machine which embodies the adjusting structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary rear elevational view of the forging machine, the threaded member which is mounted on the spindle being shown in section; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line III-HI of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a forging machine which comprises a rigid frame 12 for a pair of parallel horizontal supporting shafts 1. Each 0f these shafts 1 carries a sleeve-like eccentric 6 (see also FIG. 3) which is rotatable on the respective shaft and rotatably supports a strap in the form of a two-armed lever 13 having an upper arm 2 and a lower arm 5. The levers 13 are mirror symmetrical to each other with reference to a vertical plane which extends midway between the axes of the shafts 1, and each of their arms 2 carries a suitably configurated forging tool 3 which can be moved into repeated contact with an elongated workpiece passing lengthwise through the circular gap defined by the concave faces of the tools 3. The lower arms 5 of the levers 13 are provided with followers 14 which are coupled thereto by pins 15 and engage the periphery of a crank pin 4 forming part of a drive 16 which serves to oscillate the levers 13 about the respective shafts 1 whereby the tools 3 move toward and away from each other and treat the workpiece which is guided therebetween. Springs 17 are provided to maintain the followers 14 in peramnent Contact With the crank in 4. p The adjusting apparatus for the forging machine of FIG. l comprises a first pair of threaded members 7 here shown as segments of Worm wheels which are rigid or integral with the eccentrics 6, a second pair of threaded members 8 here shown as worms which are compelled to oscillate with the respective levers 13, and a single spindle 9 which supports the worms 8 for axial movement therealong but holds such worms against rotation with reference thereto. In other words, the worms 8 are free to move axially of the spindle 9 in response to oscillation of the levers 13, but each of these worms can change its angular position only if the operator turns a hand wheel 19 provided at one axial end of the spindle 9.

As best shown in FIG. 2, each lower arm 5 carries two spaced brackets or journals 10 which are disposed at the opposite axial ends of the respective Worm 8 and rotatably support the spindle 9. In order to make sure that the worm 8 will share all oscillatory movements of the corresponding lever 13, its end faces are received between annular distancing elements 11. Thus, when the levers 13 are oscillated by the crank pin 4, their journals 10 compel the respective worms 8 to share such oscillatory movements whereby the worms oscillate the segments 7 and such segments oscillate the respective eccentrics 6. However, if the operator decides to change the initial angular position of the eccentrics 6, he must rotate the spindle 9 through the intermediary of the hand wheel 19 whereby the Worms 8 share such rotary movement and effect angular displacement of the segments 7 with the result that the angular position of eccentrics 6 also changes. Such angular displacement of eccentrics 6 is not the same angular displacement which takes place when the levers 13 oscillate in response to operation of the drive for the crank pin 4.

Due to the fact that the worms 8 share all oscillatory movements of the respective levers 13, the shafts 1 are compelled to take up all such stresses which arise when the tools 3 strike against a workpiece. The spindle 9 is provided with splines 20 (see FIG. 2) which extend into complementary grooves of the Worms 8 so that these worms are compelled to share all angular displacements of the spindle. Any, even smallest, angular displacement of the spindle 9 will bring about a corresponding angular displacement of the eccentrics 6 whereby the inclination of intermeshing threads on the segments 7 and worms 8 insures that the tools 3 move toward or away from each other, depending on the direction in which the hand wheel 19 is rotated by the operator. Transmission of motion from the spindle 9 to the eccentrics 6 takes place without clearance so that the adjustment may be carried out with utmost precision, and the intermeshing segments 7 and worms 8 provide a self-locking feature which insures that the adjustment which happens to be selected by the operator will remain unchanged unless the operator actually decides to rotate the spindle.

By rotating the spindle 9, the operator can move the tools 3 up or down as well as nearer to or further away from each other. A predetermined angular displacement of the wheel 19 will correspond to a predetermined movement of tools 3.

It will be readily understood that the improved forging machine may be modified in a number of ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. For ex' ample, it is often sufiicient to use a single distancing element 11 for each worm 8. Also, the journals 10 may be replaced by other types of means for compelling the worms 8 to share all oscillatory move-ments of the respectivelevers 13, the tools 3 may be replaced with differently configurated and/or dimensioned tools, and the drive 16 for the lower arms S of the levers 13 may be replaced with a different drive, as long as such drive insures that the tools 3 are oscillated or reciprocated at a desired frequency and with a desired force. Still further, the improved adjusting apparatus is equally Auseful in a forging machine which comprises a single lever 13 and a single tool 3. All such modifications will be readily understood by men skilled in this art without necessitating additional illustrations.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a forging machine, an eccentric rotatable about a fixed axis; a strap oscillatably -mounted on said eccentric; and adjusting means for changing the angular position of said eccentric with reference to said axis, comprising a first threaded member rigid with said eccentric, a second threaded member meshing with said first member and rotatably supported by said strap for oscillation with the strap about said axis, said second member being arranged to transmit oscillations to said eccentric through said first member and to change the angular position of said eccentric in response to rotation with reference to said strap, and a device for rotating said second member.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a spindle which is coupled for rotation with said second member and wherein said second member is movable axially of said spindle in response to oscillation of said strap.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first member is a worm wheel provided on said eccentric and said second member is a worm which is supported by said strap against axial movement with reference to the strap.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said strap comprises a pair of journals disposed at the opposite axial ends of said Worm and said spindle is rotatable in said journals.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said strap is a two-armed lever and further comprising a tool affixed to one arm of said lever and a drive for oscillating said lever through the other of said arms.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said drive comprises a crank pin arranged to rock the other arm of said lever.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a second strap and a second eccentric disposed in mirror symmetry with reference to said rst named strap and said rst named eccentric and oscillatable about a second fixed axis which is parallel to said first named axis, and adjusting means for said second eccentric including a pair of additional intermeshing threaded members respectively provided on said second eccentric and said spindle and oscillatable with said second str-ap.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein said spindle and the threaded members thereon are respectively provided with splines and grooves to hold such members against rotation with reference to said spindle while permitting axial movement of such members along the spindle.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said straps comprises journal means for said spindle and further comprising distancing means interposed between said journal means and the threaded members on said spindle to prevent axial movement of such members with reference to the respective straps.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said straps includes a two-armed lever having a tool provided on one of its arms and further comprising a drive cooperating with the other arm of each of said levers for moving said tools toward and away from each other.

References 4 Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,5 62,643 7/ 1951 Saxer 72-402 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,860 4/1960 Canada.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

G. P. CROSBY Assistant Examinez'. 

1. IN A FORGING MACHINE, AN ECCENTRIC ROTATABLE ABOUT A FIXED AXIS; A STRAP OSCILLATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ECCENTRIC; AND ADJUSTING MEAN FOR CHANGING THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID ECCENTRIC WITH REFERENCE TO SAID AXIS, COMPRISING A FIRST THREADED MEMBER RIGID WITH SAID ECCENTRIC, A SECOND THREADED MEMBER MESHING WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER AND ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID STRAP FOR OSCILLATION WITH THE STRAP ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING ARRANGED TO TRANSMIT OSCILLATIONS TO SAID ECCENTRIC THROUGH SAID FIRST MEMBER AND TO CHANGE THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID ECCENTRIC IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION WITH REFERENCE TO SAID STRAP, AND A DEVICE FOR ROTATING SAID SECOND MEMBER. 